Jihad according to Pakistan's Geo TV.

Not a single news paper in India will ever dare to publish how present day main stream Islam understands Jihad or even better, how Jihad was understood by overwhelming number of Islamic scholars and rulers since the time of Prophet Mohammad: Jihad is a duty, incumbent on all Muslims, to strive to remove all barriers (or opposing forces) to spread Islam and rule of Islam (dominance of Islam) all over the world. The word 'strive' can point to many actions but in Koran, there are numerous verses which imply that 'striving' or the phrase 'to strive' (In Arabic, Jihad) means physical fighting or killing for the sake of Allah's rule.

According to Prophet Mohammad, Jihad need not be fighting all the time; it can mean any action, including lying, to further Islam and its ultimate goal of world domination. Modern day Islamic apologists living in Non Muslim nations would love to fool infidels by saying Jihad means spiritual struggle hiding the fact that this kind of concept of Jihad came in to existence only in the 19th century when power of Islam is at its lowest in military terms (capability). Of course, (late)Al-Banna, founder of Muslim Brotherhood, dismisses this concept of Jihad meaning spiritual struggle and casts doubt on authenticity of Hadith suggesting such meaning.

Many articles were put in this blog, some written by me, or else where, on the concept of Jihad including what many Islamic websites have written on Jihad and its meaning. And people are somehow sure that - regarding concept of Jihad and its consequences, Islam claiming superiority over others and dichotomous Islamic view of world in 'us' and 'them' or dar al-Islam (the land of Islam) and dar al-Harb (the land of Non Muslims or war) - Islam, its teachings and community of Muslims do not really mean all that. Or people like me are lying (which should also include most famous and popular Islamic scholars and rulers). People who try to present how Muslims understand Jihad and what Islamic doctrines say about it are also labelled hate mongers or Islamaphobes. Hoping that better part of sense prevails on people in future, yet again, I am presenting how Muslims are understanding what is Jihad from a TV program or talk show that was aired on Pakistan's Geo TV in August, 2010.

The excerpts from transcripts of that talk show originally appeared in MEMRI website, which also put up video recording of that talk show. One can read the original article from here. (NOTE: Here, letters in purple and italics are my comments.)

The popular religious program Alim Online (Scholar Online) talk show, on Pakistan's Geo TV, recently devoted an exclusive episode to the subject of jihad in Islam. The talk show featured host Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain, former religious affairs minister of Pakistan and Islamic scholar, journalist, politician, and physician, and two prominent Islamic scholars – Qari Mansoor Ahmad, an Islamic cleric and columnist for the Urdu-language jihadist magazine Zarb-e-Momin, and Mohammad Hanif Tayyab, former Pakistani federal minister and Islamic scholar. As part of their discussion of the issue of jihad, the three scholars took several calls from viewers.

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Host Aamir Liaquat Hussain speaking: "Aamir Liaquat Hussain is here with the Alim Online Special. There are different types of obligatory prayers in vogue in Islam, commanded by Allah the Almighty, and it is mandatory that we obey His commandments......(He subsequently refers to 5 pillars of Islam and their importance; here, he just calls these five pillars as prayers.)

"But besides all these prayers, Jihad is a great prayer, and is meant to spread the message of Allah and the rule of Islam (note this) and to end fitna and fasad [mischief and rebellion], to establish peace and harmony throughout the world. Dear viewers, this is a prayer which has been made obligatory [for Muslims] for the sake of safeguarding all other prayers, and it works as a line of defense for all these [prayers]. That is why other prayers can be postponed for the time being, but Jihad cannot be deferred or delayed from its time and place."
(1: Jihad is often quoted as 6th pillar of Islam by some Islamic scholars while, some consider it the most important devotional act owing to Prophet's saying, "he can not find any devotional act that equals participation in Jihad".
2: Spreading faith or propagation of faith , i.e. proselytisation, is accepted in present day world by all countries - we call this as freedom of religion or choice or conscience - except Islamic nations i.e. all Muslim majority countries. Many Islamic countries sponsor construction of mosques and religious centers for conversion activity in Non Muslim majority  countries but, they actively prevent propagation of other faiths in their own countries. This is a characteristic of fascism. 
3: Sharia law (Islamic law) awards death penalty to people who leave Islam to other faiths. 
4: 'Rule of Islam' means Muslims ruling the entire world and sharia law becoming  constitution in every country; of course, this 'spreading of rule of Islam' presupposes that non-Muslims must not be allowed to govern themselves anywhere. To strive to spread  this rule of Islam is Jihad.
5: When Non Muslims oppose this imposition of Islamic law, by which they are treated as second class citizens, this resistance is called fitna or mischief which should be removed by Jihad. Like I said many times here, Islam has its own  definitions (altered) for many words like peace and tolerance; here, one can easily see how Muslims are defining mischief. 
6: One can also see that spreading message of Islam (Allah) and spreading the rule of Islam are synonymous i.e. Islam is not satisfied with propagation of faith or mere conversion of some people to Islam; verily, final aim of Islam is dominance of Islam over other religions in literal and physical terms. There is neither freedom of choice nor conscience in Islam.
7: Finally, Look at the tall claim of 'to establish peace and harmony'. How does one reconcile 'to establish peace and harmony' and 'to spread rule of Islam' through Jihad? It makes meaning when we understand the true meaning of words, peace and harmony, in Islamic terms. Global peace can only be achieved when Islam dominates entire world. Harmony between Muslims and Non Muslims will only be possible when Non Muslims accept superiority of Muslims, Islam and Islamic law and abide to live in abasement. All this implies, Islam will be at war with every other faith until its goal of worldwide domination is realized. Harmony will only be possible  when Muslims become masters and Non Muslims become dhimmis. )

"Therefore, if the enemy attacks and Muslims are standing against them, and there comes the time of Namaz and the Muslims cannot find the time to say that prayer, then Namaz can be postponed. But Jihad cannot be postponed. Because if Jihad is postponed at that time, the enemy will take that territory and in that case there would be neither Namaz nor worshipers, and no place to worship.....(Here, he is talking about type of defensive Jihad.)

"Before introducing you to our guests, let us know the meaning of Jihad first. Jihad has been derived from the word Jihd [strenuous efforts], which literally means to try, to make effort, to use strength, and to keep the struggle continuing till the goal is achieved (What is this goal? In his own words, it is rule of Islam every where.) But according to Shari'a, Jihad means to put all efforts into fighting the enemies of Islam (Who are these enemies? People opposing rule of Islam or spreading rule of Islam.) And the Mujahid is the person who focuses all his efforts for the sake of Islam so that it is victorious.

"On the other hand, Allah the Almighty, in Surah Saf and Surah Tauba [two Koran chapters], said that He sent the Prophet Muhammad with the right religion, and one of the goals behind sending His Prophet was to establish the supremacy of Islam over other religions. However, Allah's work is done by chosen ones and the righteous in all ages and in various regions."

"In Sahih Muslim [book of Hadith considered correct by most Muslim sects] Hazrat Jabir bin Samaira RA [May Allah be pleased with him] narrates that the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad peace be upon him, said that deen [true religion of Islam] will always remain established and that a group of Muslims would continue waging Jihad everywhere and always till the Day of Judgment. In Sunan Abu Daud [book of Hadith], Hazrat Imran bin Hussain narrates that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that a group of people from his followers will continue fighting in the right path of Allah, and every other nation will show animosity against it, but it would prevail against them till the people from among them [i.e. Muslims] would fight against the Dajjal [Anti-Christ]."

"Dear viewers, that is why there is a severe threat [by Allah] against those who do not crave Jihad in their heart. According to the Sahih Muslim, Hazrat Abu Hurairah RA narrates that Muhammad PBUH [peace be upon him] said that a person who dies not having waged Jihad, or never having wished in his heart to participate in Jihad, is like one who died in a state of hypocrisy. Hazrat Abu Umama RA narrates that Prophet Muhammad PBUH said that such people who did not fight in Jihad and did not contribute in making arrangements for Jihadis, and also did not care for the families of those who are waging Jihad – Allah would give them very harsh difficulty before the Day of Judgment."

"According to Tirmizi and Ibn-e-Maja [both books of Hadith], Hazrat Abu Hurairah RA narrates that Prophet Muhammad PBUH said that when a person meets Allah on the Day of Judgment in a condition that he had no sign of Jihad on him, he is like a person who is with some defect insofar as the religious point of view is considered. On the other hand, those who participate in Jihad are guaranteed exemption from the hellfire."

"In Sahih Bukhari [the most prominent book of Hadith] Hazrat Abu Abas RA narrates that Prophet Muhammad PBUH said that a person whose feet were covered in dirt in the path of Allah would have his feet untouched by the hellfire. Apart from this, Allah the Sustainer has called the drop of blood shed in His path by a momin [faithful Muslim] His most beloved thing. So, according to Tirmizi, Hazrat Abu Umama narrates that Prophet Muhammad PBUHC said that Allah loves two drops and two marks very much – one is the teardrop which comes from fearing Allah, and the second is the drop of blood by a man in His path [i.e. Jihad]. One of these two marks is a cut wound received in the path of Allah, and the second is the one borne in performing any of the obligations ordered by Allah, such as the mark on the forehead created by prostration in Namaz. The only ones who can achieve all these distinction are those who want to please Allah with true intentions…"

"Now we have to understand one basic thing here: that we have people with two different viewpoints regarding Jihad. One of them doesn't accept the importance of Jihad altogether. [I] don't know who they are. They don't have any craving for Jihad in their hearts, but call Jihad terrorism, under the influence of the Western media. They, in the line of Hadith, are following the line of hypocrites. The second category is those who do not place Jihad in its just and right place; they don't maintain its rules, regulations and terms, and they keep creating trouble on earth and shed the blood of innocent people through suicide attacks to achieve their just or unjust goals – even going so far as to record a video before suicide attacks and to release their tapes after the attacks. Such people are not likely to get any benefit as far the sayings of the Prophet go; on the contrary, their work will be a burden for them [on the Day of Judgment]."

"According to Abu Dawood and Nisai (books of Hadith), Hazrat Ma'az RA narrates that Prophet Muhammad PBUH has said that those who waged Jihad for the sake of pride, show or narration, and disobeyed their imam [commander] and created trouble on the earth, would not receive any reward for their Jihad. In other words, they would not be qualified for any reward for waging of Jihad."

Host Aamir Liaquat Hussain continues: "According to Abu Dawood and Nisai (books of Hadith), Hazrat Ma'az RA narrates that Prophet Muhammad PBUH has said that those who waged Jihad for the sake of pride, show or narration, and disobeyed their imam [commander] and created trouble on the earth, would not receive any reward for their Jihad. In other words, they would not be qualified for any reward for waging of Jihad."

"It has also been told, by Hazrat Abu Hurairah RA: Three persons will be presented before Allah; one of them is a Jihadi, the second is a generous person, and the third is the scholar [Aalim]. I will tell you about one person only. As the Jihadi is brought before Allah and Allah enumerates His bounties bestowed upon that person, and he confirms them all, He then asks the Jihadi, what did you do for Me [in the world]. The Jihadi says, I waged Jihad in Your path, I fought in Your path, I saved Your earth from Your enemies. Allah will say no; you waged Jihad because you wanted to be known as Mujahid (in other words, you made a video and tapes of your endeavor; you left tapes for the people to attest to them that you are going to wage Jihad), you did all these for fame, and you became famous, you became a mujahid. Now, O Malik! Put him into Hell by dragging him by his hair, because he mocked the great obligation of Jihad for himself and for his vanity......."

"Viewers, a Jihadi is nameless; he never fights for his fame. Hundreds of thousands of the 'companions of the Prophet' sacrificed their lives in the path of Allah and people know little about them. Who knows how many companions of the Prophet are buried in the battlefield of Badr? There is no mark and no epitaph on their graves; but the heightened position, the distinctions and the rewards these martyrs of Badr hold are not hidden from anyone."

Host Aamir Liaquat Hussain continues: "This is a very important subject, and it is also the need of the hour that people should know the real meaning of Jihad. That is why I have invited very prominent figures to talk to on this very important subject....."

Then, he introduces two guests and takes questions from viewers. One can read the full article from here or watch video from here.
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